One night, one show...which one?

[miatamel]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 11:19am

Hi --

Pre-cruise, one night in New York for my daughter's Sweet 16th.  Can see one show....
Mean Girls or Beetlejuice?

(For reference, we are embarking next day on Disney cruise so will have all the Disney I need so no Disney shows.  Seen Wicked and Hamilton.  November)

THanks!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 11:21am

Is ahe a Beetlejuice fan? If not, Mean Girls.

Quality wise they are anout the same.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 11:22am

Mean Girls for sure.

[magictodo123]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 11:25am

I'd say Mean Girls without hesitation, but it IS on tour, so if it's coming to a city near you, I'd say see it on tour. Beetlejuice hasn't said anything about a tour, or implied anything about it, and its gotten a lot of attention since the Tonys, so I'd go for that one. 

[miatamel]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 11:25am

Seen both movies, loves both probably equally.
I don't know if one is better quality/ more entertaining than the other.
I live in the Deep South and don't really know anyone that has seen either one :) so thought I would ask the experts here!

[miatamel]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 11:28am

Magictodo, I'm in deep rural south so if it comes to an area near me, it's probably not really "near" so no real chance we would go :). With that knowledge, you would choose Mean Girls?

(I didn't pay attention to the Tonys so didn't know Beetlejuice got a lot of love.  I just want her to enjoy whichever one gets picked!)

[Robert16]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 12:08pm

See Moulin Rouge instead of Beetlejuice or Mean Girls - it’s the best show on Bway

[magictodo123]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 12:20pm

miatamel said: "Magictodo, I'm in deep rural south so if it comes to an area near me, it's probably not really "near" so no real chance we would go :). With that knowledge, you would choose Mean Girls?

(I didn't pay attention to the Tonys so didn't know Beetlejuice got a lot of love. I just want her to enjoy whichever one gets picked!)"

Ahh. Then yes, I would say Mean Girls :) 

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 12:37pm

I loved Moulin Rouge! (it was my favorite of 7 Broadway and 1 off-Broadway shows I saw on my recent trip). However, not sure it’s right show for your daughter’s sweet 16 unless the pre-show featuring a guy in a thong is something you think is appropriate.

I admit I haven’t seen either Mean Girls or Beetlejuice so I can’t offer much assistance there. They’ll both definitely be cheaper than Moulin Rouge!

[hveasey]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 3:34pm

I’ve seen both (although Beetlejuice was early in previews) and say Mean Girls without hesitation. Unless Mean Girls is coming near you on tour and your daughter loves Beetlejuice, but even then I’d still think Mean Girls is a better choice.

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 5:45pm

Of the two you mentioned, Mean Girls would clearly be the better choice unless your daughter is a diehard fan of the Beetlejuice movie. Having said that, as was suggested previously Moulin Rouge! is a far better musical and a far more memorable experience than either of the two you suggested however tickets are not cheap and there really aren't discounts available. You'd have to decide if it's something you want to spring for. But if you do, don't worry about her being too young. The show itself has an age recommendation for ages 12 and up and unless the guy in a thong was going to take it off and fling it at her (which he doesn't do, not surprisingly), it won't be anything she hasn't seen if she's ever gone to the beach.

[miatamel]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 11:28pm

@Unclecharlie, we've seen the movie and we certainly aren't prude parents so that would be all good :). I'm trying to remember how the girls felt about the movie?  Is the movie pretty close to it?

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 11:47pm

It hits all the same major plot points as the movie. They’ve added a ton more recent songs (all the way from full songs to mashups to snippets) to keep it more contemporary so it’s just not the movie thrown up on stage. It might be worth listening to the cast recording first to see if it appeals to you and your family. Actually, that might be a good idea for all three show’s OBCRs. I came to love at least 80% of the Moulin Rouge! OBCR before I saw it and I loved the rest of the songs once I saw the show and understood them within the context of the show. On the other hand, the OBCRs for Mean Girls and Beetlejuice did nothing for me so have decided to skip those shows so far. All three OBCRs should be available on any streaming services you subscribe to. Just know that Moulin Rouge! is a hot ticket to get right now and with prices to match. On the other hand, Mean Girls and Beetlejuice are easy to get discount tickets to either beforehand via discount codes or day-of via TKTS.

Updated On: 10/14/19 at 11:47 PM

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 3:24am

miatamel said: "@Unclecharlie, we've seen the movie and we certainly aren't prude parents so that would be all good :). I'm trying to remember how the girls felt about the movie? Is the movie pretty close to it?"

Truthfully Miatamel, I watched the movie when it came out a few times in the early 2000's and have it on DVD somewhere but it's probably been 15 years since I've seen it so I'll yield to Mile2Go2's opinion on that. I will respectfully give the opposite advice regarding listening to the cast albums before seeing a show. To me, by the time you've actually gotten to see the show, you've already heard the songs so many times, all the newness and freshness and fun involved in hearing a great song for the first time sung live with a full orchestra in a broadway theater is gone. I'd recommend going into it fresh and especially for a show like Moulin Rouge! which is a feast for the eyes and ears and just let it all wash over you. Of course many of the songs In MR were pop hits in their own right so you've already heard a lot of them before and so it won't be a total surprise. Here's what I would do. Watch the music video of the opening number Lady Marmalade from the movie. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQa7SvVCdZk  

Now imagine all of that times 5 all playing out in front of you live and if that seems like it would be fun, go for it. If not, catch Mean Girls which will be a lot cheaper and still a lot of fun. Come From Away is also a wonderful, cheaper option, still going strong with 75% of the original cast that opened the show 2 1/2 years ago. I saw it again three weeks ago on my most recent trip to New York and it's still fresh and terrific. Have fun!

Updated On: 10/14/19 at 03:24 AM

[JuneJune]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 7:19am

As someone who loves both Mean Girls and Beetlejuice, I think they both have pros and cons. (Though, admittedly Beetlejuice is my favorite of the two, so I'm a biased party.)

Choose Beetlejuice for better visuals (costumes, effects, but especially the set); it's the bigger spectacle in that sense. If your daughter/family is a fan of dark humor though, this should be the easy choice. Admittedly, there are pacing issues and one or two numbers that feel unnecessary long, but overall, I have a great time every time I go.

Choose Mean Girls if your family isn't appreciative of dark humor. Also, if you're looking for familiarity, Mean Girls is the definite pick; this show stays pretty true to the movie, while Beetlejuice deviates in many aspects. And if stagedooring is important to anyone in your party, that's another reason to choose Mean Girls. As of late, the Beetlejuice stagedoor crowd goes about 6–7 rows deep of people, some of whom get a little rowdy.



If you think you'll be in NYC sometime in the relatively near future though (a year), I think people are expecting Beetlejuice to be the first to close of the two, so you should catch that one first. (though this estimate comes from when sales weren't looking too great, and Beetlejuice's numbers have been doing better recently)

Updated On: 10/14/19 at 07:19 AM

[Joe Mayo]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 11:19am

UncleCharlie said: "miatamel said: "@Unclecharlie, we've seen the movie and we certainly aren't prude parents so that would be all good :). I'm trying to remember how the girls felt about the movie? Is the movie pretty close to it?"

Truthfully Miatamel, I watched the movie when it came out a few times in the early 2000's and have it on DVD somewhere but it's probably been 15 years since I've seen it so I'll yield to Mile2Go2's opinion on that. I will respectfully give the opposite advice regarding listening to the cast albums before seeing a show. To me, by the time you've actually gotten to see the show, you've already heard the songs so many times, all the newness and freshness and fun involved in hearing a great song for the first time sung live with a full orchestra in abroadway theater is gone. I'd recommend going into it fresh and especially fora show like Moulin Rouge! which is a feast for the eyes and ears and just let it all wash over you. Of course many of the songs In MR were pop hits in their own right so you've already heard a lot of them before and so itwon't be a total surprise. Here's what I would do. Watch the music video of the opening number Lady Marmalade from the movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQa7SvVCdZk

Now imagine all of that times5 all playing out in front of you live and if that seems like it would be fun, go for it. If not, catchMean Girls which will be a lot cheaper and still a lot of fun. Come From Away is also a wonderful, cheaper option, still going strong with 75% of the original cast that opened the show 2 1/2 years ago. I saw it again threeweeks ago on my most recent trip to New York and it's still fresh and terrific. Have fun!"

I'll second the Come From Away recommendation.

As far as the original question, I personally didn't like Mean Girls and my wife didn't like Beetlejuice. As JuneJune notes, both shows have flaws although I think Alex Brightman is a much more dynamic performer than anyone in the cast of Mean Girls, which would give it the nod for me if choices are only limited to those two.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 11:36am

I’m in the minority, but I was a little underwhelmed by Come From Away.

[whatsername2]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 7:12pm

Hi there! As an eighteen year old girl from the south who sees way shows with her mom, I feel uniquely qualified to help haha! Although I haven't seen Beetlejuice (decided to skip it for now and wait for the inevitable tour), Mean Girls is a ton of fun and reminiscent of the movie; as such, it has a lot of crazy teenage fangirls, which could be fun or a bit overwhelming depending on your personality and if you want to stage door. I agree that Moulin Rouge is fantastic and want nothing more than to see it again, and - although it has already been announced for tour - the tour won't be the same level of craziness with the theatre being all decked out with a ridiculously excited audience. The only downside with MR is the price, but that depends on y'alls budget. I'd recommend Hadestown and I wish that The Pom is still playing so I could recommend it too! Listening to soundtracks and watching videos is my favorite way to decide, so I'd look there next. Thank god for Spotify!

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[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 10:39pm

Mean Girls would likely be more up a typical 16 year old girl's alley, however, Beetlejuice is the superior show in terms of quality (although neither are phenomenal). Renee Rapp is giving a stellar performance in Mean Girls, so there's that. She's someone to watch out for in the future - I predict big things ahead for her. 

If you're definitively set on seeing one of these two, Beetlejuice would be my pick, although I'd suggest that Moulin Rouge, Hadestown, or Waitress would be better options.

[hak5]

Posted: 10/15/19 at 11:13am

HADESTOWN !   this is the MUST see show

[Jarethan]

Posted: 10/15/19 at 1:53pm

hak5 said: "HADESTOWN ! this is the MUST see show"

 

A 16 year old would not like Hadestown, most 16 year-olds would hate it.

Can we assume she has never seen Wicked?  If not, no contest for a 16 year old girl.  That demographic is one of the reasons the show is the juggernaut it is.  Also, Dear Evan Hansen was loved by a couple of 15 year-olds I know.  It is intense, but it is about a teenage boy.

 

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 10/15/19 at 2:00pm

The OP stated they’ve already seen Wicked.

[Wick3]

Posted: 10/15/19 at 2:10pm

miatamel said: "Hi --

Pre-cruise, one night in New York for my daughter's Sweet 16th. Can see one show....
Mean Girls or Beetlejuice?

(For reference, we are embarking next day on Disney cruise so will have all the Disney I need so no Disney shows. Seen Wicked and Hamilton. November)

THanks!"

I'd pick Beetlejuice but that's just my taste... especially since it's October. Alex Brightman and Sophia Ann Caruso (OBC) are still in the show and are amazing!

When are you going to be in NYC? If you're here this fall, I'd add Lightning Thief to the mix. 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 10/15/19 at 2:10pm

Thanks...missed that.

[whatsername2]

Posted: 10/15/19 at 2:13pm

Jarethan said: "hak5 said: "HADESTOWN ! this is the MUST see show"



A 16 year old would not like Hadestown, most 16 year-olds would hate it.

Can we assume she has never seen Wicked? If not, no contest for a 16 year old girl. That demographic is one of the reasons the show is the juggernaut it is. Also, Dear EvanHansen was loved by a couple of 15 year-olds I know. It is intense, but it is about a teenage boy.

"

I definitely disagree on this. At the show - especially at the rush, I've noticed a lot of teenagers and twenty-somethings who are big fans of the show. I've shown some of the videos and music to a bunch of my friends, and even the non-theatre kids loved Hadestown.

I don't think that age has to do with enjoying Hadestown; I was obsessed with Greek mythology as a kid because of the Percy Jackson books (not the musical!) and a lot of gen z share that. Also the entire OBC is still in Hadestown, which is fantastic!

1